Enjoy the game, Ma'am

By Mark Chaplin

The clock was ticking down towards the UEFA EURO' 96™ final at Wembley. The two teams, Germany and the Czech Republic, were lined up and a packed house was in full anticipatory voice. At that moment, somewhere away from the tumult, UEFA President Lennart Johansson was quietly bracing himself for a momentous occasion of his own. Soon, he would be meeting Queen Elizabeth II.

Diplomatic duties
Accompanying the United Kingdom's monarch onto the field to greet the players and match officials before European national-team football's ultimate showdown is just one of the diplomatic duties incumbent upon the vastly-experienced Swede, who has been at UEFA's helm for 15 years and helped pilot the European game through an era of massive change.

Famous names
Pontiffs, presidents, prime ministers, kings and queens - Mr Johansson has shaken hands and conversed with some of the most famous names on the globe in his position as the figurehead of the European football community and vice-president of the world body FIFA. His mantelpiece at home is adorned by an array of awards and honours bestowed upon him as a mark of respect for his achievements as a football administrator and ambassador.

Meeting the Queen
Actually, he could be forgiven if he remembers his day with Queen Elizabeth with a wince of pain. "You wouldn't believe it, but I had a bad neck, so I couldn't bend, and she is much smaller than I am," he reminisced with a smile. "So when I talked to her, I had to put my head down in a certain way - perhaps at that moment I looked even more royal than she did! She was very polite and nice, and of course I tried to be the same."

Diplomatic checklist
In addition to checking whether your tie is straight and your hair is tidy, you may also have to refer to a specific diplomatic checklist when you meet royalty or political leaders, especially in nations where the protocol is at its strictest. "It differs from country to country," Mr Johansson explained. "With the Queen, I was instructed to say 'Your Majesty' at first and 'Ma'am' afterwards, how to walk upstairs and downstairs. In some countries, this protocol is extremely important."

Representing football
Johansson - calm and authoritative by nature - says he has few nerves before such meetings or award ceremonies. Nevertheless, he admits that, very much like the player facing a major assignment, he needs a touch of adrenalin to do the job well. "It's like going into a match - you have to be a little bit nervous and concentrated. I don't rehearse, but I try to think about what will happen. Knowing that you're representing European and world football guides me in how I act - and I try to behave in a way that they pay me respect for what I represent."

Greatest meeting
The UEFA President says his greatest meeting was with Nelson Mandela. "It's the same for many, many people," suggests Mr Johansson. "If you know what he did, and what he is still doing for mankind - then you would understand that he is the one for me." He regrets not having met Frank Sinatra, and is not quite sure if there is anyone left on the list that he would like to meet - "I'll give you an answer to that one next time we see each other!" he laughed.

This is an abridged version of an article which appears in Champions, the official UEFA Champions League magazine. Click here to subscribe.